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Food for Thought - A vision for unlocking the potential of agriculture and the food industry in the EU

06.05.2014

The combined agricultural and food sector accounts today for 30 million jobs (13.4% of total employment)and for 3.5% of total Gross Value Added in the EU-28.To meet the challenges of the coming years, the EU and Member States will require ambitious policies –policies that unlock the great potential of the European agri-food chain and maintain its place as a worldleader; the challenges:

Providing Food Security

Europe is a major global food importer and exporter and is home to some of the world’s most fertile arable land. Itmust use these advantages to play its part in feeding the growing population in Europe and the world as a whole.By constantly innovating and ensuring the competiveness of its farmers and its food industry, Europe will be able tomeet this challenge and continue delivering sufficient amounts of high-quality food at affordable prices every day.

Ensuring Food Safety

European consumers enjoy the highest standards of food safety, which are delivered all along the chain from farmto fork. Innovation helps maintain those standards in the most effective and efficient way.

Helping Create Jobs and Growth

Europe can be globally competitive and ensure vibrant job creation and economic growth by enabling innovation,ensuring the deployment of best practices and eliminating unnecessary regulatory burdens in the agri-food sector.

Safeguarding the Environment

Agriculture is closely linked with nature and the environment. Innovative technologies, products and practicescan help make the most efficient and sustainable use of natural resources, and thereby improve farming’senvironmental footprint.

Improving Today…and Tomorrow

The agri-food chain invests in the future and constantly looks for new ways to be competitive, productive andsustainable (economically, environmentally and socially); our goal is to make sure consumers in Europe andaround the world continue to have access to healthy, high-quality, and affordable food choices